Stripping mechanism



Dec. 17, 1940. A. LANGSNER STRIPPING MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 9, 1938 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYJ.

Patented 17, 1940 STRIPPING MECHANISM Adolph Langlner, Chicago, IlL, assignor to Eugene Dietzgen 00., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Original'application February 9, 1938, Serial No.

Divided and this application October 29, 1938, Serial No. 237,615

3Claims.

My invention relates in general to sheet treating apparatus and has more particular reference to a simplified machine including a roller for transporting and treating sheet material with a desired treating medium, and including means for stripping the treated material from the roller.

An important object of the invention is to provide improved means for stripping sheet material from a treating roller after the material has been caused to pass in substantially uniform contact throughout its area with a treating roller substantially uniformly coated with the treating medium.

Another important object is to provide mechanism of the character mentioned, including a sheet-treating roller, and at least one sheetholding roller shiftably mounted and adapted normally to frictionally engage the treating roller to insure engagement of the material being treated with the treating roller, and including stripping means for releasing the material from the treating roller; a further object being to arrange the stripping means for shifting movement with the holding roller to release the treating roller.

Another important object resides in providing improved stripping means in an apparatus of the character mentioned for insuring release of the material being treated from the treating roller at the conclusion of the treatment.

Another important object resides in mounting the sheet-guiding and holding means and also.

the sheet-stripping means on a frame tiltable with respect to the treating roller, whereby the sheetguiding means, as well as the stripping means, may be shifted as a unit from operating position with respect to the treating roller to release the material being treated and to simultaneously disconnect the treating roller from the source of driving power; a further object being to support the guiding and holding means and also the stripping means with a slight, though appreciable, amount of play in the tilting frame to permit the same to rest by gravity upon and align themselves with respect to the treating roller when the tilting frame is moved to the operating position, whereby more particularly the guiding means is self-adjusting to accommodate sheet material of any thickness in the apparatus and to assure proper stripping relationship of the stripping means upon the treating roller throughout its entire width.

Numerous other objects, advantages and inherent functions of the invention will become apparent as the same is more fully understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referringto' the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of sheet-treating apparatus embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a similar perspective view showing the tilting frame and the guiding and stripping means carried thereby, the frame being shown in released position; and

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views taken substantially along the lines 2-4 in Figure 1 and 4-4 in Figure 2.

To illustrate the invention I have shown on the drawing a sheet-treating apparatus ll comprising a main frame l3 and a tilting frame I! carrying rollers for receiving and transporting sheet material through the apparatus, while at the same time applying to the material as it is carried along a suitable treating medium supplied from a source ll.

The main frame l3 preferably comprises a pair of spaced-apart end pieces it having feet 2!, the end pieces being supported and rigidly braced in spaced-apart position by means of connecting rods 23 fastened therebetween in any suitable fashion, preferably by bolting the rods onto the and pieces IS.

The end pieces may be arranged to support a roll of sheet material to be treated. -This, of course, may be accomplished in any suitable or convenient fashion, although I prefer to form the end pieces as shown, with an inclined notch 25 in the forward edges of the end pieces. These notches are adapted removably to receive an axle 21 on which may be rolled and conveniently stored a quantity of sheet material 29.

The end pieces I9 are formed with journals for receiving a driven roller 3| which extends between the substantially mid point of the upper edges of the end pieces. This roller 3| has an axle projecting outwardly of one of the end pieces l9, and means, such as the reduction gearing 33, is preferably provided for connecting the projectlng shaft of the roller 3i with a suitable source of driving power which may comprise an electric motor suitably mounted as on a bracket 31 secured to the end piece through which the projecting shaft of the roller 3| extends.

The end pieces also are formed with bearings for a following roller 39 positioned immediately above and parallel with respect to the driven roller 3|, the bearings of the roller 39 being formed with sufficient play to permit the roller 38 to rest by gravity upon the roller 3|, the rollera being adapted to separate to permit sheet material of any width to pass therebetween.

An inclined. preferably sheet metal plate 4| forming a sheet-feeding surface is secured between the end pieces I! along the upper edges thereof in front of the rollers 9| and 99, so that material to be treated may be pushed across the feeding surface of the plate 4| and guided between the rollers 9| and 99. The material thus fed may be a continuous strip drawn from the roll of material 29 or may be individual sheets, manually or otherwise delivered across the table 4| to the feeding rollers 9| and 99. s

Rearwardly of these feeding rollers the end pieces II are formed with notches 49 in the upper edges of the pieces II. The notches 49 are in alignment transversely of the frame l9 and serve to receive the axles 49 projecting at the ends of a treating roller 41 which is thus supported for rotation in the main frame preferably in a fashion permitting ready removal of the roller 41 from mounting position by merely lifting it upwardly to raise the axles 49 from the slots 49.

Beneath the roller 41 the frame carries means forming a trough 49 adapted to receive a preferably liquid sheet-treating medium 9| which is maintained at a desired level in the trough 49. Any suitable arrangement may be employed to apply the treating medium as a substantially uniform film upon the treating roller 41, and in the illustrated embodiment this is accomplished by positioning the trough. 49 so that the lower portions of the roller 41 are immersed in the bath of liquid 9|. To this end, the pieces l9 are formed on their inwardly facing surfaces with support means 99 adapted to receive the opposite ends of the trough 49 and support the same in the desired position with respect to the roller 41.

I also provide means for continuously delivering-the liquid-treating medium 9| to the trough in order to maintain a desired liquid level therein, and, as shown, the trough is provided with a charging conduit 99 opening, preferably, into the bottom of the trough 49 and extending thence through a suitable opening formed in one of the end pieces l9. outwardly of said end piece the conduit 9| is connected in any suitable fashion with a charging funnel 91 which is supported in a bracket 99on the end piece l9. I

The funnel 91 internally is formed with projections 9| forming one or more upwardly facing shoulders 99, the funnel being supported in the bracket 99 at an elevation such that the shoulders 99 are in approximate alignment with the liquid level to be maintained in the trough 49.

The end piece I9 also carries a bracket 99 forming a clip for receiving and supporting the supply source H on the main frame of the device. The supply source, of course, may have any suitable form, but I prefer to employ a common bottie, the support clip 99 being adapted to firmly receive the lower portions of the bottle in order to support the same with its neck extending in the funnel 91 in position resting upon the shoulder 69. A container, such as a bottle supported in this fashion, will maintain the desired on the roller.

ing means 99, the roller 41 may be quickly and easily removed from operating position for the purpose of cleaning the same or for repair or replacement. when the apparatus is in operation, however, I desire to connect the roller 41 so that. it may be driven at the same peripheral speed at which the rollers-9| and 99 are rotated by the motor 99. To this end and, further, to insure that the sheet material being treated is maintained in substantially uniform contact with the treating roller 41 during its passage thereover, I form the tilting frame l9 with a sheet-guiding roller 91 which, when the frame is in the elevated position shown in Figure 2, is disconnected from the driven roller 9| as well as the treating roller 41, the frame being arranged, when in elevated position, to support the roller" in a position permitting the roller 41 to be removed from mounted position for the purposes heretofore mentioned. The tilting frame l9, however, may be lowered to a position in which the roller 91 rests firmly upon the surfaces of the rollers 9| and 41, and thereby provides a driving connection between the driven roller 9| and the treating roller 41. The roller 91 also functions when in operating position to direct the material being treated from the roller 9| and onto the roller 41.

I also prefer to provide an additional roller 99 in the tilting frame l9, said roller 99 being parallel and adjacent with respect to the roller 91 and in position to rest upon the surface of the roller 49 when the frame is in operating position. The roller 99 serves to maintain the material being treated in contact with the treating roller throughout a substantial area of said treating roller.

Since the treating medium 9| is preferably and usually a liquid, the sheet material may have a tendency to adhere upon the surface of the treating roller. To prevent this tendency from carrying the sheet material around the roller and through the bath 49, I provide stripping means 1|.

The stripping means comprises a plurality of spaced lifting fingers adapted to bear upon the surface of the roller 41 at intervals throughout the width of the treating roller, in order to insure separation of the sheet material being treated at the termination of the period of treating contact Since I wish to provide for the ready removal and replacement'of the roller 41 for the reasons heretofore stated, I arrange the spaced fingers comprising the lifting means in the tilting frame i9 so that these fingers may be entirely released and removed from the roller 41 when the tilting frame is elevated.

To this end the tilting frame |9 comprises a shaft 19 which is iournalled at its opposite ends in bearings formed in the ,upper, rearward corner portions of the end elements l9, the opposed ends of the shaft 19 preferably projecting outwardly of the end pieces I9 and receiving each an end member 19 of the frame |9. These end members 19 provide bearings for the rollers 91 and 99, and also are interconnected by means of a bar 11 secured in place on the members 19 in any suitable fashion, as by cotter-pins 19.

The fingers forming the stripping means 1| preferably comprise sheet metal stampings 9| having pointed tips 99 at one end thereof for the purpose of riding upon the surface of the roller 41 to separate the sheet material from the roller when it reaches said pointed ends of the fingers 9|. The ends of the fingers 8| opposite from the receive the shaft 13 of the tilting frame, said shaft being grooved at intervals, as at B1, to receive the notched ends of the sheet-lifting fingers and to' prevent displacement of said notched ends axially on the shaft 13.

Between their opposed ends the fingers 8| are provided with openings 89, through which the shaft extends, in order to maintain the fingers 8| in proper alignment in the frame and to raise the same from the roller 41 when the frame is moved to the elevated or inactive position. The fingers 8 I, however, are relatively loosely mounted on the rod H in order that when the frame is in depressed or operating position the pointed ends of the fingers may rest upon the surface of the treating roller 41 in order that the fingers may each be self-aligning and press upon the roller under the influence of its own weight. In order to facilitate manipulation of the tilting frame IS, the end pieces 15 thereof may be formed with handles 9|. It will be noted that the fingers 8| may be removed from mounted position for repair or replacement without dismounting the frame [5 or otherwise disturbing it. This may be accomplished merely by removing the pins 19 and sliding the shaft 11 first one way and then the other to disconnect its ends from the frame members l5 whereupon all of the fingers 8| may be lifted, on the shaft 11, bodily from the notches of the shaft 13 and thus removed from the tilting frame.

The sheet-treating apparatus of my present invention is relatively simple and inexpensive to make. It is, however, positive and automatic in action and will successfully accommodate sheets of any thickness, provided the material is sufficiently fiexible to travel the somewhat serpentine path between the rollers 3|, 41, 61 and 69. The apparatus also is simple from an operating standpoint, and affords, among others, the advantage of a readily removable treating roller 41 which does not require disassembly of driving connections in order to permit removal of the roller for inspection, cleaning, repair or replacement. At the same time, the apparatus provides guiding rollers for insuring that the material being treated travels the desired pathway across the treating roller, and also simple and inexpensive, yet positively acting, stripping means for insuring the release of the material from the treating roller after the completion of'the treating process. These stripping fingers, however, do not in any way interfere with the ready removability of the treating roller for the purpose heretofore mentioned.

The driving and guiding roller is self-aligmng and not only insures the delivery of the sheet material to the treating roller, but also insures that the treating roller is driven at the same peripheral speed as the sheet-feeding roller 3 The apparatus also provides for a continuous and ample supply of the liquid treating medium 5| by. virtue of the improved means for maintaining a desired liquid level in the trough 49 from a remote and readily renewable source of supply II.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description. and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the several parts of the illustrated apparatus without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention or sacrificing any of its attendant, advantages, the

January 3, 1939, of which the present application comprises a division.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. Stripping means for use with a sheet treating roller comprising a shaft having means thereon forming spaced apart annular grooves in the shaft, said shaft being adapted for mounting adjacent the roller, a plurality of stripping fingers having notched ends receiving the shaft at said grooves, said notched portions of the fingers being received in said grooves whereby to maintain the fingers tiltably in spaced apart relation on said shaft, said fingers being freely removable from mounted position on the shaft by withdrawing the same from the shaft in a direction away from the open ends of said notches, said fingers having sheet releasing portions adapted normally to bear upon the surface of the roller, and a stem common to all of said fingers and extending loosely in. an opening in each whereby said stripping fingers are relatively free for independent tilting movement on said shaft so that each may be normally urged by the gravity action of its own weight into contact with said roller, said stem serving as a holder whereby all of the fingers may be simultaneously disconnected from the shaft by withdrawing them from engagement in the notched portions thereof.

' 2. Stripping means for use with a sheet treating roller comprising a shaft having means thereon forming spaced apart annular grooves in the shaft, said shaft being adapted for mounting adjacent the roller, a frame mounted for tilting movement about the axis of said shaft, a plurality of stripping fingers having notched ends receiving the shaft at said grooves, said notched poran opening in each of said fingers whereby when the frame is in stripping position said stripping fingers are free for independent movement on the shaft so that each may be normally urged by the gravity action of its own weight into contact with said roller, said stem serving as a holder to 'retain said fingers with their notched ends in engagement with the grooved portions of said shaft.

3. Stripping means as set forth in claim 2 wherein said fra ne is provided with roller means in position to be engaged by a portion of said treating roller when the frame is in stripping position in order to support the same in a predetermined relationship with respect to the treating roller to permit the sheet releasing portions of said fingers to ride freely on the surface of the treating roller without restraint by said stern.

ADOLPH LANGSNER. 

